DOJ: State execs, employees coordinating with ICC could be held accountable

State officials and employees who would cooperate with the International Criminal Court's (ICC) investigation into the bloody war on drugs of former President Rodrigo Duterte could be held accountable, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said Thursday. 

At a press briefing in Malacañang, DOJ spokesperson, Assistant Secretary Jose Dominic Clavano, said cooperating with the ICC regarding the investigation would be a violation of government policy.

“As mentioned by the Solicitor General, this is a government policy. So when a government officer or official is coordinating with the ICC against the direction, orders and the policy of the government, there may be accountability involved,” Clavano said.

“If there’s any law enforcement or government official that goes against the policies and orders of the authorities in position, then obviously there will be some sort of conflict of interest, there will be accountabilities and definitely liabilities that go with it,” he added. 

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV said the ICC has communicated with more than 50 active and former police officials implicated in the case against Duterte.

Trillanes was among the individuals who sought ICC's intervention in Duterte's drug war.

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. earlier this month said his administration will not serve any arrest warrant from the ICC against Duterte, insisting that the international body has no jurisdiction over the Philippines.

Clavano, in the Palace press briefing, said the Philippine government is committed to hold responsible erring lawmen involved in summary executions during the previous administration.

“So, even without verifying the information, the government’s stance is consistent ever since; the President has been very firm by saying we will not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC because we indeed have a very well and robust justice system,” he said. —KBK, GMA Integrated News